Chapter 6

Morning came too quickly for the four of them. The stress of last night had not yet run its course and they were all a little irritable. Hermione complained of a headache and Harry hoped it wasn't one of her bad ones. She didn't look that sick but sometimes he couldn't really tell with her. He always thought she would get migraines but she always denied it. Draco sat up, cracked his back and sat next to Hermione on the couch. It was definitely going to be another day before they actually start their mission.

"Ron, can you massage my head." Hermione asked.

"Sure 'Mione; here sit on the floor." Ron said.

Harry began rummaging through his bag and pulled out his snitch. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why Dumbledore would give him this thing. What could this possibly mean to him and to this mission? He tossed the snitch into the air and at once it took flight and zipped about him. Harry caught it easily and its wings disappeared. He saw Draco looking at him or rather the snitch. He seemed just as puzzled.

"When Scrimgeour made you take that Harry, I was sure something was going to happen." Hermione said.

"Well so was I." Harry replied, "I nearly had a heart attack when…" Harry stopped suddenly and just stared at the snitch.

"What is it." Ron asked

"This is the first snitch I have ever caught…the one I almost swallowed." He said, his heart now beating rapidly. Of course why hadn't he remembered? He touched the snitch to his mouth and waited.

"Is something supposed to happen now…" Draco said breaking the thick silence.

Harry felt angry and let down. This is only the beginning and he never thought the day would come when Dumbledore let him down. He was about put the snitch back into the bag when Ron stopped him.

"Harry wait, there are markings on it…writing!"

Harry looked at it closely and sure enough there right before his eyes were five words written in Dumbledore's unmistakable hand.

I open at the close.

The writing vanished quickly and left Harry feeling even more confused than before.

" 'I open at the close'…what's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione and Ron shook there heads.

"I don't see the point." Draco said

"None of us do…" Ron said irritably

"Well if Dumbledore wasn't such a nutter then we wouldn't be in this fix now would we." Draco spat.

"What we…this we doesn't involve you." Ron yelled pointing out himself, Hermione and Harry.

Draco stood up glaring down at Ron, "Like it or not Weasley, I'm not going anywhere." he said in a low angry voice and stormed up the stairs.

"I swear Harry, what possessed you to take that thing with us." Ron spat

Harry shook his head. "What would you have me do? Throw him out just like that?" he yelled.

"You could have let the Order handle it—he belongs in Azkaban. He's a Death Eater Harry when are you going to realize that; when he takes us to You know who with our heads on pikes?!"

"Ron you know he isn't. If he was they would have killed us by now."

"Doesn't matter. You know he is a sympathizer. Harry, what has he done to make you so sure? Nothing!"

"Ron, he stole a horcrux from Voldemort and gave it to me—willingly."

"..could've been a fake." Ron said indignantly, "How do you know exactly what happened—did he tell you?"

Harry didn't reply.

"He's nothing but trouble Harry and I think you know that." Ron left the room without giving Harry a chance to retort.

As Draco walked down the dusty old hallway upstairs he thought that Ron Weasley had to be one the most irritating gits he has ever met in his life. He was glad to have left the room when he did; the last thing he felt like doing was waste his energy fighting with Weasley. He can only tolerate him in small doses. He walked in and out of the different rooms upstairs and decided that he was bored. He was pleasantly surprised when he stumbled upon a bedroom that was decorated in Slytherin colors. He wondered why he had not stayed here last night instead of practically breaking his back on the floor, but he remembered how scared he was last night and decided that maybe Hermione was right in wanting to stay together. The bed was comfortable so he lay down.

He was dozing off when he heard someone come up the stairs. He sighed knowing that they were probably looking for him. When will they realize that he really isn't going anywhere no matter how much they might wish it. He turned over and put the thought out of his mind, not wanting to make himself angry.

"Er…Draco?" Harry called from the door.

"What is it?" he asked. "Am I to report downstairs so you can keep an eye on this monster Death Eater you're harboring?

Harry made a face, "No, I actually came to apologize"

Draco turned and gave him a look as if to say 'Really'

"…for Ron. He's just a little uptight right now and he'll warm up."

"Right." Draco said flatly. "In case you don't know…I heard what he said."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Not surprised…honestly, I think he meant to be that loud."

"He's an idiot." Draco spat

"He's hot-headed…but not an idiot." Harry corrected

"Whatever Potter"

"I wanted to ask though. How did you find me?" he asked sitting on the bed.

"Harry, not again." Draco said.

"Well you never told me and considering the circumstances I think I should know."

"I don't know alright!" He said turning to him.

Why were you so bloody that night, what happened to you?"

Draco sighed and gave Harry a haggard look. He tried his best not to think about all of this but he figured he couldn't keep it from harry forever. He relented and sat up.

"Things happen there…all those ministry disappearances and those teachers—they all end up there. Some he kills and burns, the others are turned into Inferi." He closed his eyes as he felt his stomach lurch, "He turns it into some sort of celebration when he makes Inferi. It's as if he likes watching their bodies dry out and he enjoys it when they twitch with life again…that smell—ugh." he swallowed.

Harry noticed how distant Draco looked—almost as if he could still see it. He nodded; he's dealt with Inferi before.

"The night before I left they killed Professor Burbage, you know the Muggle Studies professor. They tortured her for hours. After they were done they brought her to the drawing room and she hung there upside down. All I could do was stare at her." He put his face in his hands.

Harry listened intently.

"They spun her around slowly and she was begging for her life. He gagged her—she was crying so hard…and he just killed her." Tears stung his eyes but he held them.

"What happened to her?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head, "I don't know. He probably burned her." Draco let out a shaky sigh, "That next night, the night I left, he made me torture a man with the Cruciatus Curse. I didn't want to do it and I think he knew…kept telling me I had to mean it or he would show me how." Draco was trembling now, "Do you think of me as a coward?"

Harry shook his head but Draco wasn't looking at him.

"The Carrows caught up to me—that's why I was so beat up but Severus came and made them leave. He was always in a higher rank than them. He told me about Horcruxes and that I was to take the one that he had recovered and leave—he told me to try and find you. They noticed I was missing but somehow I found you and I don't think they were able to see me."

Harry nodded, "There were wards on that house—they couldn't see you."

Draco buried his face in his hand again trying to control his trembling. He looked at Harry, "Harry, you do believe me—don't you…I need you to believe me." He grabbed at his stomach; a hint of tears still glistening in his eyes. Harry was afraid he was going to be sick.

"Draco, it's alright. I know, you were brave; It took a lot to do what you did, knowing the consequences. Professor Dumbledore would be proud."

At the sound of the Professor's name, he lost his battle with his tears and wept. Harry's brow furrowed and wondered when his death would loose it's sting. Harry reached over and put his hand on Draco's. Strangely enough it wasn't awkward—he hoped it helped reassure and comfort him. "Draco, I'm here for you." He said with such finality and confidence that Draco turned his head and looked at him, "and we're going to help each other."

Draco nodded and wiped his eyes.

Harry patted him on the back, "and don't worry about Ron. He'll come around."

"…highly bloody unlikely." Draco said. He was beginning to feel more relaxed around Harry. He also felt as though something passed between them; almost like an understanding. The bottom line was Draco knew he felt secure with him and security, to him, was something to appreciate.